Consultation on the role of the registered social worker (sometimes referred to as reserved functions). The overarching purpose of the Scottish Government is to focus government and public services on creating a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland.

The purpose of this guidance for local authorities is to set out those social work functions which only registered social workers should be accountable for.

The University of York was commissioned by the Scottish Executive to undertake a two-year study of the way local authorities are discharging their duties and powers under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to promote throughcare and aftercare for looked after young people. This final report is based on the findings of data from the national postal survey of thirty-one Scottish local authorities and other agencies involved in the provision of throughcare and aftercare.

Report that makes important recommendations both to improve current services and to enhance provision in the future regarding the duty of local authorities to provide support to young people leaving care and making the transition from the care system to independent adult living.

This report by the Improving the Effectiveness of the Youth Justice System Working Group describes the characteristics of effective local management of youth justice services and outlines a set of standards to improve delivery.

The group was asked to develop a strategic framework of national objectives and standards for Scotland’s Youth Justice services, to help achieve the national target of reducing the number of persistent offenders by 10% by 2006.

In April 1997 the Social Services Inspectorate undertook an inspection of the child protection services in Cambridgeshire's Social Services Department. This inspection took place at the request of the Parliamentary Under Secretary in the Department of Health following the non-accidental death of Rikki Neave, a child on Cambridgeshire's child protection register. The 1997 inspection identified serious deficiencies in the standard of child protection services in Cambridgeshire.